Question:
The bodies of dwarf individuals of mammalian species are generally smaller in relation to those of nondwarf individuals than are the teeth of the dwarf individuals in relation to those of the nondwarf individuals. Fragmentary skeletal remains of an adult dwarf woolly mammoth were recently found. The teeth are three-fourths the size of the teeth of an average adult nondwarf woolly mammoth.
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which of the following?
The bodies of dwarf individuals of mammalian species are generally smaller in relation to those of nondwarf individuals than are the teeth of the dwarf individuals in relation to those of the nondwarf individuals. Fragmentary skeletal remains of an adult dwarf woolly mammoth were recently found. The teeth are three-fourths the size of the teeth of an average adult nondwarf woolly mammoth.
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which of the following?
The statements above, if true, most strongly support which of the following?
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For questions that combine a general rule with a specific case, write out the rule as a mathematical or logical formula. Then, plug the specifics of the case into the formula to see what conclusion it yields. This makes the reasoning clear and avoids errors.
Updated On: Oct 1, 2025
- The body of the dwarf woolly mammoth was less than three-fourths the size of the body of an average adult nondwarf woolly mammoth.
- None of the teeth of the dwarf woolly mammoth that were recently discovered was as large as any of the teeth of nondwarf woolly mammoths that have been discovered.
- The teeth of most adult dwarf individuals of mammalian species are three-fourths the size of the teeth of the adult nondwarf individuals of the same species.
- Dwarf woolly mammoths had the same number of teeth as did nondwarf woolly mammoths.
- Dwarf individuals of most mammalian species are generally no more than three-fourths the size of the adult nondwarf individuals of those species.
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an inference question. We are given a general rule about the relative sizes of bodies and teeth in dwarf vs. non-dwarf mammals, and then specific information about a dwarf mammoth's teeth. We need to combine these to draw a logical conclusion about the mammoth's body size.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the information:
\begin{enumerate} \item General Rule: For mammals, the body size ratio (Dwarf Body / Non-dwarf Body) is smaller than the tooth size ratio (Dwarf Teeth / Non-dwarf Teeth). \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Body Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Body Size}}<\frac{\text{Dwarf Tooth Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Tooth Size}} \] \item Specific Data: For the woolly mammoth found, the tooth size ratio is given: \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Tooth Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Tooth Size}} = \frac{3}{4} \] \end{enumerate} Now, we can substitute the specific data into the general rule: \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Mammoth Body Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Mammoth Body Size}}<\frac{3}{4} \] This inequality states that the body of the dwarf woolly mammoth was less than three-fourths the size of the body of an average adult non-dwarf woolly mammoth.
Let's evaluate the options:
\begin{itemize} \item (A) This is a direct statement of the conclusion we derived from the premises. \item (B) The passage discusses the size of the teeth, not a comparison of every individual tooth found. \item (C) The passage gives data for one dwarf mammoth, not "most" dwarf individuals. We cannot generalize. \item (D) The passage discusses size, not the number of teeth. \item (E) This is a generalization about the body size of "most mammalian species," which cannot be concluded from the specific case of the mammoth. \end{itemize} Step 3: Final Answer:
By applying the general principle to the specific data provided for the mammoth, we can logically conclude that its body size ratio must be smaller than its tooth size ratio of 3/4.
This is an inference question. We are given a general rule about the relative sizes of bodies and teeth in dwarf vs. non-dwarf mammals, and then specific information about a dwarf mammoth's teeth. We need to combine these to draw a logical conclusion about the mammoth's body size.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the information:
\begin{enumerate} \item General Rule: For mammals, the body size ratio (Dwarf Body / Non-dwarf Body) is smaller than the tooth size ratio (Dwarf Teeth / Non-dwarf Teeth). \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Body Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Body Size}}<\frac{\text{Dwarf Tooth Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Tooth Size}} \] \item Specific Data: For the woolly mammoth found, the tooth size ratio is given: \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Tooth Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Tooth Size}} = \frac{3}{4} \] \end{enumerate} Now, we can substitute the specific data into the general rule: \[ \frac{\text{Dwarf Mammoth Body Size}}{\text{Non-dwarf Mammoth Body Size}}<\frac{3}{4} \] This inequality states that the body of the dwarf woolly mammoth was less than three-fourths the size of the body of an average adult non-dwarf woolly mammoth.
Let's evaluate the options:
\begin{itemize} \item (A) This is a direct statement of the conclusion we derived from the premises. \item (B) The passage discusses the size of the teeth, not a comparison of every individual tooth found. \item (C) The passage gives data for one dwarf mammoth, not "most" dwarf individuals. We cannot generalize. \item (D) The passage discusses size, not the number of teeth. \item (E) This is a generalization about the body size of "most mammalian species," which cannot be concluded from the specific case of the mammoth. \end{itemize} Step 3: Final Answer:
By applying the general principle to the specific data provided for the mammoth, we can logically conclude that its body size ratio must be smaller than its tooth size ratio of 3/4.
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